Blahblah, that is one of the most gorgeous cars I have ever seen. I can only think of a couple of cars that I have loved like this: Aston Martin DB9 and VW W12 Nardo... Who says there's nothing beautiful in Brum (apart from Cat Deeley and Suzzanne Virdee).

While I remember. I do beleive that you don't live too far from Castle Bromwich? KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED, AND YOU PHONE CAMERA READY! They are running XF Test mules around the roads in the area, and car magazines will PAY if you can get photo's of the car without disguise!!!!!

I think I know where they will be running them. They usually drive along the Lichfield Road and they do tests on the latest Jag model everyday there. No doubt, we'll be seeing some of these beauts hitting the streets!

I think I know where they will be running them. They usually drive along the Lichfield Road and they do tests on the latest Jag model everyday there. No doubt, we'll be seeing some of these beauts hitting the streets!

They use some of the side roads around the factory, and the back of the Fort too. I've been led to believe that they sometimes use the M6 Toll for high speed test runs late at night!

I missed out on getting a pic of an XK prototype last year cos I couldn't get my camera out quick enough. The test pilot in the Jag clocked what I was doing and blew my doors off! That was on the collector road heading towards the NEC.

Prodrive boss David Richards is one of a handful of bidders still in the running to take over Aston Martin, it was claimed yesterday.

He was reported to be heading an investment consortium prepared to put up an estimated £450-£500 million for the Warwickshire-based builder of grand touring cars which has been put up for sale by owner, Ford.

Reports said that Mr Richards, who already has close links with Aston Martin, was working with a number of investors, including Egyptian bank Naeem Capital, itself a final bidder. The team, which is being advised by US investment bank Jefferies, is competing against UK-based buyout group Doughty Hanson and Syrian-born property tycoon Simon Halabi.

It is understood that Oxfordshire-based Prodrive, the company behind Aston Martin Racing, is itself not involved in the bid.

Mr Richards, who was said not to be commenting on his reported interest in Aston Martin, is best known as the former boss of the BAR Formula 1 racing team, is a major force in the British high-performance car industry. Prodrive was recently given the go-ahead to develop a £100 million motor racing research and development centre at Fenn End, near Kenilworth, which is expected to create up to 1,500 jobs.

A decision on who will get Aston Martin, the sale of which is being handled for Ford by UBS, is expected soon.

Behind the scenes, bidders are believed to be disgruntled with the way the auction has been handled. Due diligence is thought to have exposed higher than expected pension charges while Aston Martin's estimated earnings have been cut by some £10 million to £37 million.

The company, which employs 1,500 staff at its Gaydon HQ in Warwickshire, is, however, on a sound financial footing and is described as an attractive asset by analysts. Ford said proceeds from the sale will be used to finance its far-reaching restructuring of its North American carmaking operations following massive losses and falling sales.

Conservative leader David Cameron has today opened a new factory in Coventry, building zero emissions electric vans. Tesco have apparently purchased a number of them for use in their grocery home delivery service.

And, that is great news about Aston Martin. Lovers of the Vanquish can now have their vehicles taken back to the factory, and the "horrible flappy paddle gearbox" as Clarkson calls it removed, and replaced with a slick 6 speed manual. For £15,000.

Final 40 Vanquish's will be an 'Ultimate Edition' with the S pack as standard, black chrome fittings, and a unique numbered plaque. Yours for £182,095 + £15,000 if you want a manual one!

US giant Ford will today announce a £450 million deal to sell iconic car company Aston Martin to a consortium led by British motorsport boss Dave Richards.

Official confirmation of the sale will made at a lunchtime media conference at Aston Martin’s headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

The deal will put Aston Martin back in UK hands, having been wholly owned by Ford since 1994. But Ford is expected to keep a 15% share of the company whose cars have featured in a number of James Bond movies including the latest 007 film Casino Royale.

Former rally driver Mr Richards, 54, is boss of motor-racing company Prodrive and his consortium is thought to include Kuwaiti companies.

Started in 1914 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, Aston Martin turned out its first car in 1915.

Annual production dipped as low as just 46 cars in 1992. But the marque has enjoyed a resurgence this decade - a record 7,000 Aston Martins were sold worldwide last year and similar number are expected to be purchased in 2007.

Aston Martin moved its headquarters from Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire to Gaydon in Warwickshire in 2003.

Production at Newport Pagnell, where the Vanquish S model is made, will cease in July although the service and restoration department will stay on there.

The DB9 and V8 Vantage models are made at Gaydon and later this year a DBS model will go into production at the Warwickshire plant, where 1,600 staff are employed.

It was the DBS which was driven by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and the first 007 - Sean Connery - drove an Aston Martin DB5 in the 1964 Bond movie Goldfinger.

Versions of the car also appeared in a number of other 007 films, including Thunderball, The Living Daylights, Goldeneye and Die Another Day.

Dave Richards has said that it is Unlikely he will brand his F1 team Aston Martin. He said that if it were to flop (like Jaguar F1) it would do enourmous damage to the Brand. Therefore, the team will be simply called 'ProDrive'

I must admit, I thought it would be a great idea, but DR is right, it could ruin Aston's image if they were trailing around the back of the grid.

Really good that DR is taking so much care of Aston though!

Oh, and the 4 door Rapide looks set for production, and something called a DB-X is being rumoured. It can't be a replacement for the DB9, because that is still relatively new, and the Vantage is even newer... That must mean that an all new Vanquish is in the pipeline.

There's been a bit of a change of plan and the K Series is moving on. I'm switching to a supercharged Toyota 4AGZE engine from an MR2 instead. Around the same power 180/190 bhp but 30% more torque. They use these engines for drifting.

The car's in a specialist workshop very close to the automotive mecca which is Gaydon

I can see what you mean about a smaller market and it doesn't help that they're built so well. A bit like the everlasting lightbulb I suppose

Awww! I have fond memories of going for a ride in a duck egg blue Morris Minor that my mom's friend had when I was about 5. But I prefer them to look original and have the whining engine that all Morris's and Austins had back then!

I like the old cars too so this deserves a mention. Did you know the worlds quickest street car was built and is driven by a chap from Wolverhampton?

You can keep your Zondas and your Veyrons, this does 0 to 184.5 MPH in 7.8 second. Street legal with MOT, tax and insurance. He competes in Street Eliminator, runs on normal fuel and has to complete at 25mile cruise to even qualify.